Behind the Covers

R.E.M.

1 album cover in our archive

R.E.M. is featured in Behind the Covers' archive with 1 album cover from the 1990s. Released on Warner Bros, the artwork sits in the alternative, folk tradition. Each cover is documented in our archive with design notes covering photography, minimalist, iconic, band photo. Below you'll find the full story behind each R.E.M. cover — designers, photographers, label history, and the visual choices that defined the release.

Automatic for the People by R.E.M. — album cover art

Automatic for the People (1992)

The multi-pointed star on R.E.M.'s 1992 album once topped a motel sign on Miami's Biscayne Boulevard. Michael Stipe photographed it, the band nearly named the record after it, and a hurricane tore it down. Here's how a roadside ornament became the focal point of an alternative landmark.

Label
Warner Bros
Designer
Tom Recchion
Photographer
Michael Stipe
Genre
Alternative, Folk
Decade
1990s
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